


The Big Blind

by speedtrials



Category: Ocean's 8 (2018)
Genre: 90s, AU, Choosing Sides, Con Artists, Eventual Smut, F/F, Flirting, Give me Loubbie or give me death, Meet-Cute, New York City, Origin Story, Poker, Recreational Drug Use, Sexual Tension, Slow Burn, gay af
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-30
Updated: 2019-05-03
Packaged: 2019-10-19 11:26:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 19,463
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17600441
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/speedtrials/pseuds/speedtrials
Summary: Original AU, 1990s. Lou and Debbie are in their early 20s and in the early stages of their criminal careers. They meet the night Danny is hosting a poker game and much flirting, dramatic eye contact and sexual confusion ensues! Most of the story will (eventually) revolve around the high stakes of the big poker night.





	1. Ring Game

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first posting on ao3 after reading lots of awesome stories on here. There's something about Lou/Debbie that is just soooo hot... I couldn't resist going for it! Hope you enjoy, and if you have time, let me know what you think in the comments!

* * *

 

**_New York City, 1992._**  

Debbie Ocean was gazing blankly out the window, watching the snow blow and twist its way across Central Park.  The view was spectacular, but she was pretty much used to it by now; they’d been looking at it for a few months. If she craned her neck, she could see the Met down the street. She hadn’t been there yet, although she’d been meaning to go ever since they'd moved to the Upper East Side. _So much I could do... but with who?_  she thought.

Debbie was a bit lonely. She didn’t want to do a lot of that touristy stuff alone, and her brother wasn’t too interested in culture.  He only cared about the next score. Debbie didn’t mind hanging out here with Danny, but she was getting cabin fever _. I need to get out more_ , she thought as she stared across at the Park. _I need a friend or something. I’ve got money… maybe I can buy a friend._ Debbie sighed. That sounded sad even in her own head. She turned away from the window.

Debbie didn’t exactly have millions right now, but she had more money than she’d had in a long while.  Enough to be living in the city in a swanky building without having to worry about what to do today, or tomorrow, or next month. Within the year they’d be running out of cash if they weren’t careful. Debbie was certainly being more cautious with her cash than the others were with their cuts, although she supposed that living here all together was smart on all their parts. It gave them a base of operations, a place to make their plans; all while posing and living as the privileged children of a new money, mysterious New York family: the Oceans. And Rusty of course. Debbie smiled at the thought of Danny's goofy friend. Depending on their purpose on a given day, Rusty posed as their cousin, their brother, or even Debbie’s boyfriend. Debbie preferred when he played her ‘brother’, because that’s what he really felt like.

She looked over at Danny and Rusty, who were hanging out on the couch playing video games. Although Danny was a few years older than Debbie, even at 26 years old he was still just a big kid. He loved games. He loved winning. He loved making money and concocting elaborate schemes that made him more money, so he could play more games and win some more. Life was all a big game to him. Debbie had to admit that although these lows, like the one they were in now – the in-between times, the downtime between gigs – could get a bit tedious, the potential high of pulling off another Ocean heist or scheme was intoxicating and addictive. She always ended up sticking around for one more.

They were living off the latest con now, a simple jewelry heist at multiple locations. _It was so easy_ , she thought. Her and Rusty had posed as a couple looking to get engaged and had scoped out some truly outrageous rings for sale around the city. They’d enlisted a counterfeiter to make copies, and one by one they’d made the switches while ‘trying them on for size’. Debbie had enjoyed the audaciousness of it all, making the swaps so quickly right under the noses of the smug salespeople. Once or twice she’d had to make a bit of a scene with Rusty, pretending to be _so_ in love with him and throwing her arms around his neck, turning them to avoid the prying eyes of security cameras or personnel while she made the switch. After they were done, they’d fenced all the goods and split everything, and Debbie had enough to live the high life… at least for a little while. As Danny put it, “Have fun with it, Deb. Buy some pretty things, relax for the winter. Then we can plan the next endeavor. I’ve got a big role in mind for you for the next one.” He said that part with a wink.

Meanwhile, Danny had rented this gorgeous apartment on the Upper East Side and invited Rusty and Debbie to move in. He had lots of money tucked away from his last so-called endeavor, which involved some complicated wheeling and dealing around an expensive piece of art. Debbie wondered what he planned to do next, but he never let her know until he had it all worked out. So here they stayed, in the lap of luxury, until the gears started moving again.

Debbie had moved into the apartment in November, on the condition that she got the master bedroom with the en-suite. She didn’t want to share a bathroom with the boys. Danny had reluctantly agreed.  To say thanks, she bought Danny a beautiful Brioni suit and had it delivered when she moved in. He loved it and said it was a perfect fit, and she thought, _of course it is_. An Ocean would never miss details like that.

So she settled into the beautiful life here, and spent a few thousand on gorgeous designer clothes for herself for Christmas, and took herself out for lovely meals at any time of day. She indulged in the fantasy of being a rich New Yorker, but she always felt a little left out. Danny and Rusty were best friends and perfect partners in all their illegal ploys. They had an absolute trust in each other and sets of skills that complemented one other.  Their cons and heists were inevitably successful, and Debbie knew it wouldn’t be long before they pulled off something truly huge. Debbie just wished that she had a friend like Rusty; then she wouldn’t have to sit on the sidelines quite so much.

Living with them was fun, if a little heavy on the testosterone. Debbie walked past them now and over to the kitchen island, leaning on it and smiling as she watched the two boys playing their dumb video game, laughing and elbowing each other. The weather outside was terrible; the forecast called for snow and high winds in New York all weekend. Danny and Rusty had made a plan to stay in for the weekend and order in whatever they felt like: fancy booze, high-quality weed, expensive food, and so on. It was a Saturday, so they had managed to entice over a few friends to come by later to play some poker, and they’d have everything that anyone could want right here. “Nobody wants to go to the club on a night like this,” Rusty had said. “So we’re bringing the club to us.”

Of course, Debbie knew that it was as much a subtle con as it was a friendly boys’ night: by plying their friends with cognac and sushi and bong hits, Danny and Rusty would inevitably win the poker night too, probably after convincing their friends to buy in a couple more times after they busted out; 500 bucks here, 1000 bucks there, and so on. They’d be having so much fun that their so-called friends probably wouldn’t even notice or care how much money they’d lost until the next day. Debbie also knew that if any of them were even mad about it, Danny would charm his way out of that too.

_Danny’s house always wins_ , Debbie thought.

The kitchen counter behind her was already full of expensive bottles of alcohol, almost every type that Debbie could imagine.  It had arrived a little earlier that afternoon. Danny and Rusty were now waiting on their weed delivery, and later the catered food would come, just before their friends showed up. Debbie didn’t really care to play poker herself, but she enjoyed watching as long as things didn’t get too ugly. She also knew that the food was going to be amazing; Danny always ordered the best. _Maybe this will actually be fun_ , she thought. _If the weed gets here soon, I’ll smoke a joint in the bath before I get ready_.

As if on cue, there was a knock at the door. Danny had already paid off the doorman that morning to let up anyone who gave a specific password with no questions asked. Danny would rather pay money for something than be inconvenienced in any way. Debbie would consider such silliness to be wasteful if she wasn’t familiar with how easily money both came and went in Danny’s life.

Danny was busy pummeling Rusty in their video game, so he turned quickly to Debbie with a pleading look in his eye.

“Open the door, will you Debs? It’s just the delivery boy.”

Debbie rolled her eyes, but pushed herself up from the kitchen counter to go open the door.   _Whoever this delivery boy is, he’d better not hit on me._ One of the booze delivery men from earlier had given her a pretty gross up-and-down stare when he arrived, and Debbie had heard him whisper something about her ass under his breath to his colleague when she walked them into the kitchen. Debbie had left the room in a huff and let Rusty deal with it. _In your dreams, asshole_.

Debbie shuddered and hoped this wouldn’t be more of the same infuriating, sexist bullshit. She walked down the hallway to the foyer, undid the deadbolt and swung the heavy door inwards.

“Hey…” she began casually, but whatever Debbie was going to say next got stuck in her throat. 

 


	2. Ante

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Guess who?

* * *

 

Debbie had been expecting another older scruffy guy or a sweaty bike courier type, not this. There was a young, slim and gorgeous blonde woman staring back at her across the threshold, and with her came a blast of the fresh scent of winter. She looked like a magnificent ice queen; a few snowflakes still melting in her platinum-blonde hair, water like dew drops on eyelashes that framed a pair of striking pale blue eyes. She was wearing a long, light gray duster coat that seemed to flow around her body as she leaned slightly to look past Debbie and into the apartment beyond.

Debbie realized she’d been holding her breath, and slowly let it out. Her exhaling sounded excruciatingly loud in the quiet doorway, but she couldn’t seem to stop blowing the air out embarrassingly slowly. It was as if she had forgotten how to breathe. The blonde woman was now looking straight at her, a slight smile on her lips.

Debbie finally finished exhaling and tried to compose herself.  “Sorry. Uh, they told me you were a delivery boy, so I guess I was waiting for a man. I’m just surprised.”

“Waiting for the man, eh? Like the song,” the woman said, raising an eyebrow.

Debbie just looked at her blankly.

“It doesn’t matter. An in-joke I guess. I’m the man,” the blonde said. “I’m Lou.” She stuck out her hand to shake Debbie’s. Debbie reached out and gripped Lou’s hand, noticing how soft her skin was despite it being freezing from the wintry trek she’d probably endured to get there.

“So… you’re _the man_ , eh?” Debbie said, hoping to sound cool and failing miserably.

“Turn of phrase,” Lou said evenly. “And it’s Lou Miller, not Lou Reed.”

Debbie had no idea what the blonde as talking about, so she just nodded knowingly.

“Your hand is cold,” Debbie said stupidly, still clinging on to Lou’s cool fingers.

“Yes. It’s cold out,” Lou said, tilting her head as if she was speaking to an idiot. Debbie felt incredibly dumb; even more so when Lou glanced down at their still-joined hands which Debbie couldn’t seem to relinquish. Lou paused. “Thanks for warming me up,” she said finally, releasing Debbie’s hand quickly.  Debbie felt her cheeks turn red.

“So, anyway… as we’ve established, I’m the delivery boy,” Lou continued, gesturing at a leather messenger bag slung over her shoulder.  “Is Danny here? Can I come in?”

Debbie shook her head, flustered. “Oh, of course! I’m sorry. Please come in.”  She moved aside to let Lou in, inhaling the scent of frost and designer perfume as it wafted past her. She slowly closed the door and turned around to see Lou pulling off her coat and bag in one seamless, flawless movement while shaking the last few melting snowflakes out of her hair.   _Is there a wind machine in here?_ Debbie thought.

“Here, I can take those,” Debbie offered, holding out her arms for Lou’s things. “I can hang your coat up near the heating vent to dry.”

“Thanks,” Lou said, passing the long gray coat and her bag over to Debbie without looking at her. She bent down to untie the laces on her leather boots. “Where should I put these? They’re covered in slush. I don’t want to ruin your floors.”

“Um, just leave them on that mat,” Debbie said, distracted by how perfectly Lou’s simple outfit, black jeans and a cream sweater, fit her. _Is that cashmere? This girl looks expensive._ Debbie clocked Lou’s watch and rings as well, quickly valuing them in the thousands. _Very expensive._

Debbie placed Lou’s beautiful coat on a hanger and tried to figure out how best to hang it near the heating duct.  She ended up reaching up on her tiptoes and balancing the hanger on the top of the wooden trim above the door that lead into the kitchen.

Satisfied, she turned around and was startled to find Lou’s face only inches from her own.  Debbie gasped a little and did so again when she felt Lou’s cool fingers cover hers.  Then she felt Lou tugging at something and realized that she was still holding onto Lou’s bag. Debbie let go of it quickly, feeling her cheeks get hot again. “Sorry,” she mumbled.

“Don’t try to steal the merchandise now,” Lou said with a wink.

“Oh, I wouldn’t do that,” Debbie said defensively.

“I know, I’m only kidding. So, I guess you’re Danny’s girlfriend or something?” Lou said casually as she slung the bag back over her shoulder. Debbie let out an embarrassing honk that was somewhere between a laugh and a choking sound.

“God no. Danny is my brother,” Debbie said. “I’m an Ocean too.” _I sound like a loser_ , Debbie thought. _Ugh. What’s wrong with me today?_

“Okay, Ms. Ocean,” Lou replied, and it looked like she was trying not to laugh, but Debbie couldn’t be sure. “You must be Debbie. Your brother mentioned you last time I was here.”

“You’ve been here before?” Debbie said, surprised.

“Just once or twice,” Lou said, and then abruptly brushed past Debbie and strode into the kitchen. 

Debbie stood for a moment in the hallway, wondering how it had happened that she felt so clearly on the back foot in her own house. _She's not just cool_ , Debbie thought. _She's ice cold._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case you didn't know what Lou was talking about either, "I'm Waiting for the Man" is a song by the Velvet Underground. (It's a song about a drug dealer.)


	3. Buy-In

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just setting up the pieces here. Debbie is still being a huge dork.

* * *

 

Debbie found herself shuffling behind Lou into the kitchen, and watched the blonde woman casually throw her bag onto the kitchen island. “Danny! Oy! Too busy to answer your own fucking door?” Lou called out.  When she cursed, Debbie could hear the accent she’d noticed in Lou’s voice earlier coming through more strongly. She was slightly shocked to hear her talk to Danny that way; they must know each other pretty well after all.

“Eh, go fuck yourself Lou,” Danny called out from the couch. “I’ll be right there, once I finish kicking Rusty’s sorry ass. Shouldn’t take long…”

“Shut up, dude,” Rusty yelled, mashing harder on his controller.

Lou turned back to Debbie and rolled her eyes. “Men,” she said dramatically. “Good thing this is my last delivery of the day or I’d kick their fucking asses for making me wait.”

Debbie was absurdly pleased to hear all of that. “They always deserve an ass-kicking,” she said. Lou smiled at her knowingly. Debbie hesitated about what to say next but continued, “If you don’t have to go anywhere after this, we’re having a party tonight. You could stick around… you know, after.”

Lou leveled Debbie with a look. “After what?”

“After you… well… do your private business,” Debbie said, struggling for words.

Lou laughed. “You make it sound like I’m gonna take a shit.” 

Debbie laughed too. “No… I meant to say, after your deal is done with the guys… you’re welcome to stay. Look at all the drinks they ordered.” She gestured at the mountain of booze bottles behind them.

Lou didn’t look over at the bottles but kept her eyes squarely on Debbie. “Are you normally in the habit of socializing with your drug dealer?” Lou asked. “Do you think that’s a safe thing to do, Debbie?”

“I… I don’t have a drug dealer,” Debbie said faintly.

“I guess you do now, sweetheart,” Lou replied, and turned to open her bag, taking out a variety of baggies.

“Well then, I guess I am in the habit of it,” Debbie said. “Because here we are.”

Lou chuckled. “You want to… what, hang out with me? Well, I can’t say it’s the first time I’ve been propositioned. That’s why I keep this in here as well.” She pulled a taser out of her bag and pointed it at Debbie. Debbie’s mouth dropped open in shock.

“Jesus! I’m sorry! I didn’t mean anything by it…” Debbie faltered when she saw that Lou was laughing at her. Lou threw the taser back in her bag.

“I’m kidding, Debbie. I would never taser you… mmm, probably not,” Lou winked. “Some people… other people… just don’t know how to take no for an answer. Or they want to steal my merchandise. Or they think I’m the merchandise. Anyway, I have that if I need it. Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.” Lou looked sheepish but also amused at Debbie’s reaction.

“No, it’s fine. I didn’t mean to make it sound like I was…” Debbie paused. “I didn’t think of that. What you do could be dangerous. Especially looking like you do…” Debbie didn’t realize what she’d said until it was too late, and she stopped suddenly, her mouth pressing shut.

“Looking like I do? And how’s that?” Lou said, leaning on the counter and tilting her head at Debbie again. This time, Debbie still felt stupid, but Lou wasn’t looking at her like she was an idiot. Instead, Lou looked interested in what she had to say.

“Um…” Debbie wasn’t sure how to respond. _Should I tell her she’s pretty? Because… I guess she is. It’s no big deal. People probably tell her that all the time. Women like being complimented by other women, anyway_. _It’s nice to hear stuff like that, isn’t it?_  “You’re, uh…very…”

“Lou, my man,” Rusty shouted, appearing out of nowhere. Debbie could have cried in gratitude. He slapped his hand on the counter. “Long time no see. Missed you last time you came by.”

“Your loss,” Lou smirked. “I guess I missed out last time too, though,” she continued, glancing at Debbie for a split second. “I’ve got all your stuff here; it’ll be $400.”  Lou indicated the bags on the counter with a wave of her hand. “Three different strains, you can see what you like.”

“Great, thanks a lot,” Rusty said, then turned and yelled over his shoulder. “Danny! Go get Lou her cash, man.”  Debbie shook her head as she heard her brother muttering “Yeah, yeah,” as he sauntered into his room to grab the money.

“Debbie tells me you guys are having a party,” Lou said, pulling a box out of the front pocket of her bag. “How about you take a few of these pre-rolled blunts for tonight? It’ll save you some time and hassle from rolling all this shit up before things get going.”

“Always with the up-sell, Lou,” Rusty grinned. “But I like that idea. We’ll take, let’s see… maybe six of those too.” Lou smiled and pulled six perfectly-rolled cigars out and laid them on the counter.

“Do you want anything… stronger?” Lou asked. “I have other stuff too.”

“No thanks, we want to stay sharp tonight. We’ve got a little poker tourney thing going down here later, and I aim to win,” Rusty said with a grin.

“Poker, really,” Lou said. “What’s the buy-in?”

“Three grand,” Rusty said, turning one of the blunts over in his hand. “Small potatoes. We’re playing Texas Hold’em. No rake, winner takes all.”

“Hmmm,” Lou said, nodding. “You could clean up. I guess it depends how many punters show up in this weather. How many are you expecting?”

“We’re hoping for ten people at the table. Are you down? I can front you the buy-in if you want to stay and play,” Rusty said. Debbie smiled. She couldn’t tell if Rusty was being truly friendly or if he saw Lou as a mark, but either way, he was being kind about it. Debbie found herself clenching her jaw, hoping that Lou would agree to stick around. _It’d be nice to have another girl around here for once_ , she thought.

“Maybe… let me think about it,” Lou said finally. “I’d want to go drop this stuff off at home first, and I can cover my own buy-in. But Rusty…” Lou said, lowering her voice to a husky drawl, “Are you sure you want me here? You know you’d lose all your money.”

Rusty laughed out loud. “Well, now it’s on, dude,” he said. “You _have_ to come back. We’re going to start around 10:00 if you want in. I’ll save you a spot at the table.”

Danny appeared, holding a folded stack of cash. “Here’s $500, Lou. Does that cover it all?” Lou nodded imperceptibly and smoothly took the money. Debbie noticed with astonishment that the bills disappeared somewhere with a subtle turn of Lou’s wrist. _Dang, she’s quick_ , Debbie thought, impressed.

If Danny noticed Lou’s sleight of hand, he didn’t let on. “Lou, did I hear you’re in for this thing tonight? You’re totally welcome.”

“I’m thinking about it,” Lou said, packing her bag back up. “I might need some added… incentive.” She looked at Debbie quickly and then looked away. Slinging her bag over her shoulder, Lou finished: “Put aside that bottle of Remy Martin I saw over there for me to drink tonight, and it’s a deal.”

“Done,” Danny said. “I’m going to start setting up the table. See you back here in a few hours.” He smiled at Lou and went to start tidying up the living room.

“Hope you won’t miss your three grand, Rusty,” Lou said. “I know just what I’m gonna spend it on.”

“Is that right?” Rusty laughed louder than before, and Debbie found herself grinning too. She was excited now. _This night is looking better and better._

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These chapters are a bit short, but I figured that's okay... it just means the slow burn will burn even slower!


	4. Kicker

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another short update in which Lou is cool and Debbie is not.

* * *

Rusty collected up the dope Lou had sold him and moved to go help Danny get things ready for the night. “Thanks, Lou. We ordered a ton of food for tonight too,” he said. “Come hungry.”

“I’m always ready to eat,” Lou said, and Rusty muttered, “I bet,” as he walked away.

Debbie called out to him. “Rust, can I have one of those pre-rolls? I want to have a bubble bath and smoke something before everyone gets here.”

Rusty turned around, but Lou’s hand suddenly clasped at Debbie’s as she was reaching out to him. “No, don’t smoke a whole one of those, it’ll knock you out,” she said, pulling Debbie’s hand away. “I’ve got something you can try instead.”

“Win-win,” Rusty said, smiling as he strolled away. “See you later, Lou.”

Lou let go of Debbie’s hand and reached into another pocket of her bag. She pulled out a small plastic container and flipped open the top, tipping a small joint into Debbie’s palm.

“Just a little one, perfect for your bath,” Lou said, smiling. “This stuff is nice… you won’t be too out of it, just relaxed. I sometimes have it at the end of the day to unwind. You’ll like it.”

“Oh, I don’t want to take it if it’s yours…” Debbie started to say, but Lou cut her off.

“Nonsense. I wouldn’t be having it anyway. I’m going to stay on-point so I can take all the boys’ money later.” She looked closely at Debbie. “I assume you’ll be cheering me on?”

“Most definitely,” Debbie beamed. “I’m so sick of all the boys’ club bullshit around here. I would pay three grand just to see the looks on their faces.”

“Good,” Lou said, walking towards the front door. “I’m counting on you.”

“I’ll get your coat,” Debbie called out, putting the joint on the counter and following Lou into the hall. Part of her wished Lou wasn’t leaving yet, even though she knew she’d be back later. Debbie shook her head and thought, _Leave the girl alone. She’s clearly not as desperate for friends as you are. She probably has, like, dozens of cool friends to choose from. She’s only coming back here to make some money._

Debbie reached up and grabbed Lou’s coat, and was pleased to find it warm and dry. After Lou had laced up her boots, Debbie held the coat out for her and helped Lou into it, admiring how great it looked on her as Lou fastened a couple of the buttons.

“Enjoy your bath,” Lou said. “You can think of me when…” she paused. “When you’re stoned. Try not to drown.”

“Okay,” Debbie replied, smiling and suddenly feeling shy. She felt oddly pleased that Lou had given her something special to enjoy, but she abruptly realized her mistake.  “Oh! I forgot to give you some money for that joint. I’m sorry – how much…”

“Don’t be silly, Debbie,” Lou insisted. “That was free.” Debbie smiled, pleased at the small courtesy. But then Lou went on, “… Although, if you want to, you can pay me back the $100 that you stole from me just now.”

Debbie felt her stomach drop. _What was Lou talking about?_   Mortified, she found herself stammering out a pitiful defense. “Lou, I didn’t take money from you. I wouldn’t ever…”

“What… you wouldn’t what? Steal anything? Are you trying to tell me that you’re not a thief, Debbie? That’s interesting. Why do I not believe you?” Lou said in a tone of voice that was both playful and penetrating. She clearly expected an answer.

Debbie had to admit that Lou had her there; she couldn’t exactly say she wasn’t a thief, and once again Lou had her on the back foot, catching her off-guard with her unexpected accusation. It was clear that Lou knew what the Oceans were all about, or she was making an educated guess. But about this, she was wrong. Debbie had never considered doing anything like that to Lou, and she was horrified at the very idea of it. She took a deep breath.

“Lou, whatever you may have heard about me, I wouldn’t steal money from you. That is so not me. I wouldn’t steal from… a friend.” Debbie said, averting her eyes when she said the word ‘friend’. She wasn’t sure if Lou qualified as that, and obviously there was some kind of issue with Lou and her cash. _Did Danny underpay her? I’ll kill him._

“Okay, I believe you.” Lou said easily. “But you still have my $100 in your back pocket.” She was smirking now, and Debbie realized what was up. This girl was just showing off, and she’d gotten Debbie to confess something in the bargain.

“Are you serious? Son of a…” Debbie slipped her hand into the back pocket of her jeans, and sure enough a folded hundred-dollar bill was in there. “When did you even put that there? You’re like the fucking Artful Dodger.” Debbie should have been furious, but instead she felt delighted when Lou started laughing.

“I just wanted to see if you’d notice,” Lou said through her laughter. “You know, it’s a good thing we’re  _friends_ , because if we weren’t it’d be pretty easy to take advantage of you.”

“I can’t believe you did that,” Debbie said, incredulous. “You really had me going.” She passed the bill back over to Lou, who once again flipped her wrist and the bill disappeared into her sleeve. _Slick as hell_ , Debbie thought.

“Sorry, I just can’t help myself sometimes,” Lou said, although she didn’t seem particularly apologetic.  She gave Debbie an amiable look. “Will you still be my good luck charm tonight?”

“Yes…” Debbie said slowly. “But if you pull more pickpocket shit later, pick on Rusty next time so I can at least be in on the joke.”

"Sure. I'm definitely going to make a fool of him somehow," said Lou casually. "Anyway, see you later."

“Bye... and thanks for the treat. I’ll think of you when I’m… not drowning… in the bathtub,” she finished lamely. Lou raised an eyebrow and then turned to leave.

Debbie felt a slight pang as Lou opened the front door. She called out one last question. “Lou… what are you going to do with the money if you win it all tonight?”

Lou had stepped across the threshold but turned back, looking pensive. “I’m not sure, but I know the first thing I’ll do. I’ll take you out and show you a great fucking time… Ms. Ocean.”

With that, Lou was gone, walking down the hallway towards the elevators.  Debbie closed the door slowly and leaned back against it, realizing that she’d been holding her breath again. She slowly exhaled, feeling a bit dizzy.

“She’d better fucking win,” Debbie said to herself.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it's taking forever to get to the poker game, but I am writing a whole chapter of Debbie in the bath which I feel is extremely important to the plot, or something.


	5. Blaze

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mildly NSFW. Debbie gets stoned in the bath and is distracted by her thoughts.

* * *

Debbie tested the water of her bath with her fingers, swirling the bubbles around and inhaling the scent of jasmine. The temperature was perfect. She lit a few candles around the room, locked the door, dimmed the lights and slipped off her robe, hanging it on the back of the door. The small joint that Lou had given to her was waiting for her on the windowsill next to the tub, along with a glass of red wine. It was just after 6:00 now, so she had a few hours to chill out and get ready for the poker night.

Debbie stepped carefully into the deep clawfoot bathtub, sighing as the warm water enveloped her. She leaned back, resting her head against the back of the tub. _Ugh, this is heaven._ She let herself relax for a few minutes, closing her eyes and letting the warmth and steam surround her.

She was looking forward to tonight immensely. She really wanted Lou to win. By all rights she should be rooting for her brother or Rusty to take it all and keep more money in the family, but tonight she was happy to switch allegiances and watch the boys go down. She couldn’t wait to see what happened.

If Lou won, Debbie recalled, she would also get a night out on the town with her. Or so Lou had said. _Maybe she was just kidding. Or she was just being nice._ _Unless she really wants to take me out… but why? Does she actually want to hang out with me, or is she just trying to find out more about the Oceans?_ People were always trying to get the inside scoop on Danny, anyway. All the small-time crooks and schemers in New York seemed to know his name and reputation already. Maybe Lou had been sent over here on purpose. Maybe whoever she worked for knew about the poker night already or had told Lou to get in with the family somehow. Debbie shook her head. It seemed ridiculous, but not impossible. _Surely not… Lou isn’t that type of person. Is she?_ Debbie couldn’t be sure, because she didn’t know Lou at all.

The only other option was the obvious one that Debbie had been avoiding thinking about: Lou was asking her out on a date. When Debbie contemplated that she wasn’t sure how to feel. She hadn’t dated a girl before, and she didn’t know if she wanted to. She didn’t find women attractive that way. But Debbie had to admit that Lou seemed different from a lot of other women, somehow, as if she had an exclusive energy that was neither masculine nor feminine. Debbie wasn't sure if that made it okay, and as she thought about the possibility that Lou was into her, everything shifted into a strange blank space. It was as if her mind wouldn’t let her look at it head-on. Debbie felt her body subtly shaking as if she was freezing, even as she sank down deeper into the hot water. With a start, she realized why: she was afraid. The thought of being attracted to Lou was terrifying. _Oh, fuckkkkkkk_.

Debbie took a deep breath and tried to relax. What was the point in speculating on all these possibilities when she actually didn’t know the first thing about this person? Maybe this was all part of Lou’s scheming: to say random things, to throw Debbie off-balance and to make her vulnerable to whatever she could be planning. Lou was charming, that was for sure, and it was hard to tell what she was thinking. _Lou Miller. Who are you?_   Debbie was annoyed that Danny or Rusty had never mentioned Lou before.  They obviously knew her.  Then again, what would they have said to Debbie about their local drug contact? Clearly their relationship was merely transactional, even if they were friendly to each other. _Tonight is just another transaction for her_ , Debbie thought. _Nothing more. Unless she’s trying to screw us all over. Or use me for something._ Debbie knew that in their profession they had to be constantly on the lookout for situations like this, so she decided to be very careful tonight. _Don’t let her throw you off,_ she decided firmly.

Debbie hated thinking this way, always analyzing every damn angle of a situation. She frowned and tried to put her baseless suspicions aside. _God, it’s just a poker night. It's not fucking Goodfellas over here._  The fact was that Debbie really did want Lou to win the game, and to hell with the consequences. Lou seemed cool, so Debbie decided to ease up on the conspiracy theories and simply try to get to know her better at the party; then she could make a real judgement. Maybe they could just be friends. _We could go shopping… her clothes were so elegant. And they looked so good on her_. Debbie pictured Lou in her mind’s eye, bending over to tie up the laces on her leather boots before she left.

 _Why am I thinking about her ass?_ _Shit, shit, shit!_ Debbie sat up abruptly in the tub, reached over and took a sip of her red wine, then grabbed the joint and a lighter. Debbie lit the end of the joint and inhaled slowly, savoring the taste. The smoke tasted smooth and rich on her tongue as she blew it out slowly towards the ceiling. Debbie placed her feet up on the side of the tub and let her body relax further, taking some more deep puffs. _It’s not harsh at all_ , Debbie thought. _She was right. This is perfect._

Debbie smoked half the joint before putting it out in the glass ashtray on the windowsill. She sipped more red wine as she let her muscles unwind fully in the water. Her mind wandered lazily as she thought about the party. _What should I wear? What is Lou going to wear? Should I dress up?_

Debbie could feel a subtle body rush in her veins from the joint; nothing too crazy but definitely noticeable. She put her wine glass down, shifted in the water and closed her eyes again, trying to focus. _Should I wear a dress? Long or short? That black one I have is nice, but it’s cut pretty low in the front. Everyone always just stares at my tits in that one._ She traced her fingers down the center of her chest, feeling the sides of her breasts in the water. _Will I look slutty or sexy in that? I don’t want Danny’s friends ogling me as usual. Maybe I’d better wear something else._ Debbie mentally scrolled through her wardrobe.  _The new green dress? That one shows off my legs more._ She had gotten everything waxed a couple of days earlier so her legs were perfect. _Might as well show ’em off_. She let her hands drift towards her thighs and drew patterns on her skin under the water with her fingertips.

Debbie sighed and let her body sink a little deeper into the water, submerging herself up to her chin. Eyes still closed, she mentally put together the rest of her outfit, the weed and wine making it difficult to concentrate. Finally satisfied with her plans, she tried to imagine what Lou would wear. _Is she a dress girl too?_   Somehow, Debbie couldn’t quite picture that. ... _Maybe a suit?_ At that thought, Debbie felt the strange blank feeling again, as if her mind was trying to block something. But nevertheless the image remained, immovable in her mind. _Lou in a suit... that would look amazing… and the boys would be jealous because she’d probably look better than they do._

Debbie smiled to herself and let her mind meander in her dazed state, thinking of suits and dresses in different colors, rings and necklaces, blonde hair and cashmere, blue eyes and brown ones. Her fingers tracing up and down the inside of her thighs, she let her hand float gently between her legs. She inhaled sharply when she felt how swollen she was, her legs parting more openly as she let her fingers glide between her legs in the silky water. 

She let her mind paint a picture as she touched herself softly. She imagined herself in her shimmering green dress, heels clicking across the floor towards the poker table, all eyes on her. The room was smoky and hot, and all she could hear was the soft ticking of poker chips hitting the table and the gentle laughing of men’s voices. In her daydream, cool hands reached around her waist from behind, and Debbie moaned softly. A hand was gripping onto her hip while the other slowly traced its way up, along the edges of her ribs…

Debbie’s eyes snapped open and she sat up suddenly, small waves of water washing over the sides of the tub. _Fucking hell… this weed is making me horny. Does weed normally make me horny? I can’t remember. Maybe?_ Debbie’s thoughts felt fuzzy. _This is why I don’t smoke too often; you never know what it’s gonna do to you. Or what it might make you think about._ Debbie swallowed hard and tried to steer her mind back towards thoughts that were less… troubling.

She shook the cobwebs out of her brain and decided bath time was over. _If I’m not careful, I am going to drown in here after all. Then nobody will get to see me in my dress, because I’ll be stoned and deceased._ She reached over and gulped down the last of her wine, suddenly incredibly thirsty. It was too hot in the bath to stay in any longer, she realized. Debbie pulled herself out of the steaming, fragrant water and stumbled over to the vanity, grabbing a clean towel from the shelf below. Water trickled down her legs and hair, pooling on the tiled floor as she pressed the towel to her face.

She breathed in and out slowly, feeling slightly disconnected from herself. _What am I getting so worked up for? It’s just a stupid card game in my own fucking apartment_. It felt altogether too hot in the room, even standing there naked on the cold tiles. It was too hot to think, too hot to move. She should start getting ready, but her body was burning. Debbie kept standing there for several interminable minutes, not even daring to look herself in the eye in the mirror.  _It’s just too fucking hot._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I could just never get to the damn poker game and instead write endless chapters of Debbie bathing. But probably best to get on with it. I guess.


	6. Connector

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Debbie has a nice moment with the boys, and Lou comes back. (!!)
> 
> A slightly longer chapter this time! If you are enjoying this story and/or have any suggestions, please let me know in the comments! :) I also have a pretty gay tumblr if you prefer connecting on there or being anon: chicksonspeed
> 
> Hope you enjoy!

* * *

 

When Debbie finally emerged from her bedroom shortly after 8 o’clock, she was more composed and feeling like her old self again.  Smoking and drinking in the hot bath had completely turned her mind upside down. Thinking about Lou’s possible intentions was so maddening that she had to push it out of her mind completely.

After standing in a trance on the bathroom tiles for a while, Debbie had forced herself into a frigid shower to snap herself out of it. Afterwards, she blow-dried her hair carefully, letting it fall loosely across her shoulders in soft waves. She put on some subtle makeup and jewelry, satisfied that she looked good enough to make an impression on everyone that night without looking desperate. She placed her favorite ring on her right hand, knowing that the gleam of the diamond would pick up on the shimmering material of her dress.

Debbie smoothed the sparkling garment across her thighs as she walked down the hall towards the living room. Her high heels striking the floor made a loud snapping sound that echoed around her, and she could feel how perfectly the new dress was hugging her body as she walked. It was a gorgeous cocktail dress she had lifted from Barney’s a few weeks before, and she was pleased that now she had a chance to wear it. It was a deep green color with a boat neck and long sleeves; conservative up top, but short, tight and revealing on the bottom, showing off the expanse of her toned legs. She felt good in it; really good, in fact, and she decided to latch onto that feeling of confidence.

Debbie put all her confusing thoughts about Lou out of her mind as she walked into the common area of the apartment. She could see Danny in the living room surveying his setup of the poker table and Rusty putting out the hors d’oeuvres that had just arrived in the dining room. The guys had music playing, ashtrays out, and a full bar set up in the kitchen. She had to admit that they’d done a really good job.

She went to go help Rusty with the food, not wanting to be left alone with her thoughts and possibly get nervous.  _If I don’t think about Lou for a while, I can just forget about it_ , she thought. _There’s no reason to give her a second thought._

“Hey, Deb,” Rusty said as she walked in.  He looked up from his plating and his face registered an expression of shock. “ _Damn_ , Deb. You look great. Lou is gonna shit!”

_For fuck’s sake_ , Debbie thought. _It’s like he read my mind._

“What do you mean?” Debbie coughed. “Why would she?”

Rusty smiled gently at her. “Come on, Deb.  Did you not notice how she was looking at you earlier? I’m pretty sure she’s not coming back here just to play some cards.”

“I thought she was coming back to take all your money, actually,” Debbie retorted. “She seemed pretty confident about that.”

“Yeah, she did,” Rusty admitted.  “But she seemed confident about getting into your pants too.”

Debbie blushed. “Shut up,” she said, mortified. But she couldn’t help digging a bit more into what Rusty might know. “Do you think she’s… into dating girls?”

Rusty looked pensive. “I don’t know for sure, but I think so. I saw her out at the club a few weeks ago and some girl was all over her in the VIP booth, and Lou wasn’t exactly pushing her away.” Debbie felt a twinge of annoyance as she pictured the scene. Rusty continued, “Hard to say, though. Sometimes the girls at the club are just like that if they’ve had a few drinks… and honestly, sometimes they’ll flirt with Lou or whoever if they know they’re a dealer. They’re just trying to score free shit.”

Debbie felt more confused than ever. _So at best, she’s a player who scores women by using drugs as bait? She sounds like a dirtbag_. Rusty saw her frowning expression and was quick to disrupt her train of thought. “Deb, I don’t really know. I just saw her kissing a girl that one time. I don’t know what her deal is, except for what she’s selling.”

“What are we talking about?” Danny said, appearing with a glass of whiskey in his hand. “You look nice, Deb,” he said kindly.

Rusty crossed his arms. “We are talking about the serious business of whether Lou is a lesbian and if she wants to fuck your sister.”

Debbie slapped Rusty hard on the shoulder. “God! You’re so crass.”

Danny laughed. “Rusty probably just thinks she’s gay because she rejected him.”

“What?!” Debbie said. “Well, you managed to avoid mentioning that little piece of information.”

“I forgot,” Rusty said, averting his eyes.

“Yeah right!” Danny crowed. “Maybe you blocked out the trauma.” He turned to Debbie. “Rusty tried asking Lou out when he first met her last year, and she shut him down _so hard!_ It was classic. She came over here to sell us some shit and Rusty asked her if she wanted to go for dinner. What did she say to you again, Rust?”

“I don’t remember,” Rusty muttered.

“No? Well I do!” Danny guffawed. “She said something like, ‘Thanks, Rusty, but I think I see you more like a brother. Like a brother I never had, never wanted, and if he had existed, I would have forced my parents to give him up for adoption.’ You should have seen the look on his face. I laughed so hard I think I cried.”

“It was bad,” Rusty admitted. “And then she took my money out of my hand and said, ‘Thanks, this’ll buy me and somebody else a nice dinner though.’”

“Oh my god,” Debbie said, “You must have wanted to die. You never get rejected like that!”

Rusty shrugged. “It was okay in the end, because she called the next day and set me up with a friend of hers. I could tell she felt kinda bad about it. Her friend was hot, too; we went out a few times. Lou and I were friendly after that. I think she’s cool. And I swear, Deb… I think she’s into you. I just have a feeling.”

Debbie blushed. “I don’t know. This is so weird to be talking about. What do you think, Danny?”

“I think that above all, Lou is terrifying,” Danny said, chuckling. “But if you’re into her, I get it. Actually, I can totally see it; you two have a lot in common. And I’m pretty sure I saw her touching your ass earlier, so I think Rusty is right: I bet she likes you.”

Debbie felt her face getting hot again. “That wasn’t what it looked like,” she huffed. “She was just playing a trick on me. She put money in my pocket.”

“Down payment for later?” Rusty joked, and Debbie hit him on the shoulder again.

“Shut up, you asshole! I’m freaking out over here.” Debbie crossed her arms and stared up at the ceiling, trying to breathe in and out slowly.

Rusty and Danny looked at each other, and Danny put his glass down. “What are you freaking out about?” he asked quietly. “Are you not interested in her?”

“I don’t know,” Debbie admitted, and to her horror she felt tears pricking at her eyes. “I mean, I never thought about it before... you know, girls... like that. And suddenly this person just appeared, and I feel really… weird. I don’t know what I’m doing." She sighed. "But yeah… I think I like her. She made me feel like I’m 13 years old again with a crush on a boy at summer camp. Is that crazy?”

Danny laughed. “No, that sounds about right,” he said. “That’s the feeling of being really into somebody, like… you’ve gone nuts. Like you’re just an idiot around them. It sucks, in a way, but it’s awesome too. You’ll be okay. Here, have a drink…” Danny picked up his whiskey glass and passed it over to his sister. Debbie grabbed it and downed the rest of the drink in a huge gulp. Danny and Rusty laughed.

“You should go for it tonight, Deb,” Rusty said. “Lou should be here soon, and you look killer. She’d be crazy not to be into you. You’re the best.” Debbie smiled gratefully, feeling his words and the whiskey warming her up slowly, taking the edge off again.

“Definitely,” Danny said. “And Debbie… we don’t care that Lou’s a girl, if you’re worried about that. You can be with whoever you want. We love you.”

“Yeah, we love you, Debs,” Rusty said. “Besides, I’ve always thought you were a lesbian anyway.” He laughed and then ducked behind the table to avoid Debbie’s hand, which swung out quickly trying to give him another smack.

“You’re gonna get it later, jackass!” Debbie said, but she wasn’t really angry. She was touched by the unexpected candor and support that her brother and his friend were offering her.

“Actually, no…” Rusty said, grinning as he popped a piece of cheese in his mouth. “I think Lou is the one who’s gonna get it later.”

 Rusty ducked just in time when Debbie threw a cracker at his head.

\-------------

 

Debbie was nursing a glass of white wine, perched on a kitchen stool, her high-heeled foot shaking up and down impatiently. She’d helped Rusty put out the rest of the food, and shortly after they’d finished the first guests had started arriving. It was around 9:30 now, and seven players had already shown up. They were waiting on a couple more, and of course, Lou.

Every time somebody knocked on the front door, Debbie felt her heart jump into her throat. She was still a bit nervous, but since she’d talked to Danny and Rusty she was feeling more of a sense of exhilaration about Lou’s arrival. She felt beautiful tonight, and she was ready to see what direction the evening would take.

Danny wandered over, leaning on the kitchen island. “How are you doing?” he asked, smiling at his sister in a knowing way.

“I’m fine,” Debbie said, taking another sip of wine. “I can’t wait to see Lou wipe the floor with all of you.”

“Ha! We’ll see about that,” Danny said. “I won’t be taking it easy on her just because you have a crush.”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Debbie said. She paused, trying to find the right words. “Thanks, Danny. For… being a good brother.”

“You’re welcome,” he said simply. “I want you to be happy. I hope it works out.”

Just then, there was a sharp rapping at the door. Debbie’s eyes widened, and she found herself grabbing Danny’s hand.

“That’s her,” Debbie said, sure of it.

“Do you want me to answer it?” Danny said kindly.

Debbie squared her shoulders. “No,” she said. “I’ll do it.”  

She let go of Danny’s hand and stood up confidently. She smoothed down her dress, shook out her hair and walked assuredly to the front door, swinging it open immediately to reveal the object of her affection. Once again, Lou’s platinum blonde hair, pale blue eyes and snow-speckled gray coat created the visual impact of a cold blast of winter air. _The ice queen cometh_ , Debbie thought. _And she doesn’t know what’s about to hit her._

“Hi,” Debbie said, tilting her head at Lou, just as Lou had done to her earlier. She could see a bit of Lou’s outfit through the opening of her coat and felt a pulling sensation in her stomach when she saw that she had worn a suit, just as Debbie had imagined.

Lou didn’t say anything. She stood in the doorway like a mute, her mouth half open. Her eyes had scanned Debbie’s body in an instant when she opened the door, taking in her strappy black heels, long legs, and the curves being outlined by her shimmering cocktail dress. Her eyes were now fixed on Debbie’s face, gazing absently at Debbie’s mouth for a moment before raising her ice-blue eyes to meet Debbie’s brown ones.  Her eyes stayed locked with Debbie’s for an endless moment, the silence filling the space between them. _Lou isn’t an ice queen_ , Debbie realized. _She’s actually frozen_.

“Lou… are you alright?” Debbie asked, taking a step closer. Lou seemed to snap out of her reverie and Debbie watched with delight as Lou’s pale cheeks turned pink.

“Yes! Yes, I’m fine,” Lou said quickly. “Sorry. I was just… uh… expecting Danny.”

“Of course you were,” Debbie said. She was beyond pleased to have ruffled Lou’s feathers. “Want to come in?”

She stepped aside so Lou could pass, but Debbie made a point not to leave too much room in the doorway so that Lou would have to literally squeeze past her to get in. Lou tried to be graceful but she still seemed shell-shocked and almost tripped over her own feet, still gawking at Debbie as she stumbled into the foyer. Debbie pretended not to notice and leaned against the wall as Lou removed her coat.

“Are you ready to win big tonight?” Debbie asked, making an effort to keep things casual even though she was internally screaming at how amazing Lou looked as she revealed her immaculately tailored, three-piece dark gray suit with a black shirt.

“I’m ready,” Lou said softly. She was holding her coat against her body protectively as if she didn’t quite know what to do next. Debbie couldn’t believe the difference between the sassy Lou of earlier and this deer in headlights standing in front of her. _Am I actually having an effect on her, or is there something wrong?_   Debbie stepped closer and gently took Lou’s coat from her hands.

Lou stiffened slightly as Debbie reached around her to grab a coat hanger from the hall closet. She was sure she could feel Lou’s eyes on her as she hung up her coat, even if she appeared to be captivated by something on the floor when Debbie turned back around.

“Lou,” Debbie said, and waited until the blonde’s blue eyes met hers again. “The game is going to start soon. Are you sure you’re okay?”

“I’m good… I’m good,” Lou said, taking a deep breath. “I’m just surprised.”  
  
“By what?” Debbie asked. She watched Lou struggle for words.

“You,” Lou said finally. “I just can’t believe how…” she hesitated, then sighed and continued. “You look amazing, Debbie. You’re… you’re gorgeous.”

It was exactly what Debbie had been hoping to hear, but she hadn’t practiced how she might respond.  She decided to go with the truth.

“You too,” she said simply. “You look stunning. The guys aren’t going to be able to focus on their cards.”

“I don’t care about them,” Lou said, shrugging. “Except for the part where I take all their money.” She put her hands in the pants pockets of her suit and Debbie felt her stomach make an odd turning sensation again.

At that moment, part of Debbie wanted to run away, to go screaming down the hall and shut herself in her room for the night. How was she supposed to cope with being in the same room as a person who looked like _that?_   How was she supposed to hang out with Lou all night and not make a complete ass of herself? Debbie remembered, though, that Danny and Rusty had her back. What did she really have to lose? Mustering up the confidence she had felt earlier in the evening, Debbie slipped an arm into one of Lou’s and started walking with her towards the rest of the group.

“Come on,” Debbie said. “Let’s go make fools out of them all.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter, the poker game will start! ... I promise ;)  
> I think the chapters from here on out will also be a bit longer than the first ones. Apart from the chapter titles there hasn't been much about the game itself, so get ready for some actual cards to be played! (and escalating sexual tension of course)
> 
> Ummmmmm...... HELLO:  
> [-Lou's Sexy AF Gray Suit (warning: heart attack material)-](https://i.pinimg.com/236x/a3/4c/4d/a34c4d30670f56cc068882fd8f0b25aa--cate-blanchett-cardigan.jpg)  
> [-Debbie's Sexy AF Dress (picture it in dark green)-](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/fa/12/c1/fa12c1ffed20818ea519aed07ac54c2f.jpg)


	7. Top Pair

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Game on, in both senses of the word.

 

Debbie walked with Lou slowly into the kitchen, reluctantly letting go of their linked arms when they reached the bar area.  The boys had put on display every type of booze, cocktail glass, mixer, and accessory that anybody could want. Danny had also placed Lou’s bottle of Remy Martin off to the side next to a crystal snifter. Debbie smiled at her brother’s attention to detail.

“Do you want your cognac?” Debbie asked. “Or I can make you whatever you want.”

“Hmmm,” Lou said. “I think I’ll have that later, during the game. I can just have whatever you’re having for now. If you don’t mind.”

“Of course not,” Debbie smiled. “You’re my guest. Our guest, I mean.” She blushed. “How about I make us a cocktail? I just learned how to make a gimlet.”

“Sure, sounds great,” Lou said. She crossed her arms and leaned back against the counter, seeming to relax while Debbie busied herself finding her preferred type of gin among the huge display of bottles.

“So… are you playing tonight, Debbie?” Lou asked. “I’m not sure if you’re my cheerleader here or my rival.”

“Nah, poker’s not my game,” Debbie replied, scooping some ice from the bucket. “I’m better at blackjack. Although I’m very happy to watch you kick their asses tonight. I’ll be cheering you on for sure.”

“Great,” Lou said, then paused. “I think I misspoke, Debbie,” she said slowly. “You’re not really the cheerleader type. It sounds like I’m the quarterback and you’re on the sidelines, which doesn’t seem right. How about… associate?” Lou offered.

“Yes,” Debbie said. “I like that. We can be associates.” She felt oddly charmed by the idea, and nearly dropped the limes as she grabbed them from the fruit bowl. Rusty walked into the kitchen just then, grinning as usual.

“Lou, you look like a million bucks,” he said, shaking her hand.  “Or I guess you look like an easy thirty grand, in this case.”

“Maybe a million bucks on my next win,” Lou replied evenly. “But I’d need a bigger table.”

“Do you want to come meet the competition?” Rusty asked. “They’re almost all here, we’re just waiting on a couple more to show.”

“I will in a minute. I’m just talking to Debbie,” Lou said smoothly, and Debbie smiled to herself.

"Sure," Rusty said easily. "And it looks like she's making sure you won't get scurvy." Debbie rolled her eyes at him as she sliced the limes in half.

“Before I forget, here’s my buy-in.” Lou reached into the inner pocket of her suit jacket and slipped an envelope out. Debbie glanced over and tried not to stare as Lou’s black shirt parted slightly in the front, revealing some of the creamy skin of her chest. Debbie forced her eyes away and went back to squeezing limes.

“Thanks, Lou. I’ll go put this in the safe.” Rusty raised his glass and sauntered away towards the office.

“Nice guy,” Lou commented. “What’s he like to live with?”

“Hmmm, he’s okay,” Debbie said, pouring gin, lime juice and simple syrup into an icy cocktail shaker. “Danny and Rusty are always playing stupid video games, but they’re pretty good roommates. They actually keep the place clean, and Rusty is a good cook. He makes us all dinner a couple of times a week.”

“That sounds nice,” Lou said wistfully. “I wouldn’t mind that. I live by myself and I can never be bothered to make anything.”

“Maybe you can come over sometime and have dinner with us,” Debbie said casually as she strained the drinks into two cocktail glasses. “The more the merrier.” She garnished their drinks with lime wheels and passed Lou her glass.

“Cheers,” Lou said, looking Debbie in the eyes as they clinked their glasses. “To the Oceans.”

“And to... new friends,” Debbie said, smiling as she sipped her drink. Lou smiled back.

“This is good,” Lou said. “Thank you.” Debbie nodded, and turning on her heel, moved a bit closer to Lou, leaning against the counter next to her. They were standing only a few inches apart, and Debbie could feel the subtle body heat coming off Lou. She liked it. She couldn’t imagine being anywhere else right now than sipping a cocktail next to this fascinating woman in this ill-gotten Upper East Side apartment. Life felt pretty damn good.

“Speaking of Rusty, I heard that he asked you out last year,” Debbie ventured. “To think: if you’d accepted, he could be your personal chef by now.”

“Ha! Well, the chef part sounds great, but as you probably also heard, he’s not my type,” Lou replied, smirking. “I let him have it for asking me. I felt bad afterwards, but his ego seems to have recovered.”

“Yes, I’m sure he’s just fine,” Debbie said. “He asks out everyone, anyway. He just goes for it.”

“Oh, I see! So I’m not special, then?” Lou said, feigning offense. “How devastating.”

“No… I think you’re special,” Debbie said nonchalantly. “But maybe it’s just the suit.”

“Yeah? It’s working? I’m pulling it off?” Lou adjusted her collar in an exaggerated way, making Debbie giggle.

“I love it,” Debbie said. “You look like James Bond.”

Lou laughed. “Okay, I’ll take that as a compliment,” she said. “Wouldn’t that make you a Bond Girl, then?” Lou tapped her chin with her finger. “But which one…?”

Lou and Debbie both grinned, and then said at the same time, “Pussy Galore!”

They laughed so loudly that they drew the attention of the clump of men milling about in the living room.  Debbie tried to stifle her laughter. “Please don’t call me that in front of them,” she said. “Sometimes Danny’s so-called friends try to hit on me. I hate it.”

“Got it. I can only make very quiet pussy jokes,” Lou said under her breath, and that set them both off again. Then Lou said seriously, “I wish I’d brought my damn taser. If any of those guys so much as lay a finger on you or say anything gross, I’ll lay them out on the fucking floor.”

“Wow, okay,” Debbie said, not sure whether to laugh or to take Lou seriously. “I’m sure it’ll be fine. They wouldn’t do anything with Danny around. But thank you. That’s very 007 of you.”

“If 007 was a crook instead of a secret agent,” Lou said. She cleared her throat then and shifted uncomfortably, realizing what she’d said. Lou obviously didn’t want to reveal too much about whatever her ‘work’ was, and Debbie suspected it was a lot more than just some small-time drug dealing.

“Well, sure. And it takes one to know one,” Debbie shrugged. Lou nodded and seemed relieved. They understood each other, and for now they left it at that.  Lou swallowed the rest of her drink and set the glass down behind her on the counter.

“I’d better go pretend to give a shit about these guys,” Lou said with a sigh. “I don’t recognize any of them, so that’s good. They’ll probably underestimate me and that’ll be an advantage early on. I want to get a few of them out of the game early; see who the real competition is.”

Debbie felt her body buzzing with excitement as the action grew closer. She leaned over, her face close to Lou’s, and whispered some tips. “See the guy by the window with his shirt kind of rumpled? That’s Joey. He looks like a slob, but don’t be fooled – he’s good. He won last time.”

Lou nodded slowly, and Debbie could sense that Lou’s breathing had sped up a bit. She hadn’t realized how close her mouth was to Lou’s ear, and it seemed to be having an effect on her. Debbie smiled to herself and leaned imperceptibly closer. “And see the guy drinking a beer, talking to Danny? That’s David. He bets big all the time. He can’t help himself. Sometimes he gets lucky, but I’m guessing you can wind him up if you have to and he’ll bust out.” Debbie watched as Lou’s eyes glassed over, and she murmured, “Mmm-hmmm.”

Debbie let her lips almost brush right against the skin of Lou’s neck. “And see that one? The dude in the cheap suit who’s shoving canapes in his mouth?” Lou breathed deeply and whispered, “Yeah…”

Debbie paused. “Fuck that guy. That guy is an asshole.”

Lou laughed, and Debbie pulled away quickly before she ended up licking Lou’s neck, or throwing herself completely at her and fucking everything up. _There’s plenty of time to fuck it all up later,_ she thought. _Let the woman focus on her game._ Debbie stepped away, smoothing the front of her dress with one hand and downing the rest of her cocktail with the other. She was pleased to see that Lou looked a bit pink in the cheeks, but her game face was on and she was scanning the crowd, making mental notes. Lou looked intimidating and beautiful, Debbie thought, and she felt that strange blankness settle over her again as she just stared at Lou in wonderment.

“Okay, I’m going to go glad-hand and set up. See you soon.” Lou was all business now, straightening her jacket and pulling at the cuffs. “I look alright?”

“Jesus, yes,” Debbie exclaimed. “I told you, you look like a sexy super spy.” Debbie’s face grew hot as she realized that she’d said what she was thinking without a filter, but Lou looked pleased.

“Great,” Lou laughed. Then she reached out and gently grasped Debbie’s hand for a split second. “Thanks, Bond Girl.” She rubbed her thumb across the back of Debbie’s knuckles and released her fingers. They looked at each other for a few seconds, the moment hanging in the air between them.

Debbie wished that she could hold hands with Lou all night. She wished that she still had her mouth close to Lou’s neck, so she could keep whispering things in her ear, and then kiss the soft skin behind it. This time, she would murmur, _See this girl right in front of you? She wants to kiss you._ Even if she didn’t say that out loud, when Debbie looked into Lou’s eyes now she felt that Lou had still heard it somehow; that she knew it anyway.

Lou winked at her, put her hands in her pockets and walked away.

\----------------

All ten players had arrived, and the game was ready to start at ten past ten. Danny loved numbers and he considered all these tens to be a good omen, which he murmured to Debbie. She glanced over at Lou sitting at the poker table and thought, _There’s another ten_.

Lou was sitting across the table from Joey, who was probably her biggest competition apart from Danny. Rusty and Danny were set up at opposing corners, and the asshole that Debbie had pointed out earlier, whose name was Paul, was sitting next to Rusty. That was good for now, because Paul had a tendency to needle people and try to get under their skin, and Rusty’s amiable personality and constant jokes would be a good counterpoint.

Debbie had poured herself another glass of white wine and was perched on the comfy arm of a chair just off to the side of the action. These games could go on for hours, so she wasn’t too fussed about watching every moment, but she wanted to see how the first few hands went. Her vantage point gave her a clear view of the whole table, and she had a great angle from which to watch Lou. The blonde woman was leaning back in her chair, idly flipping a $50 chip across the backs of her fingers. Every once in a while, she would glance across at Debbie, and Lou would smile or wink or communicate some little message with only her eyes or a subtle raised eyebrow. Debbie loved it, and she tried not to stare too hard.

Danny was standing at the head of the table to get everyone’s attention. “Okay, everyone, we’re gonna start. We’re playing no-limit hold ’em. You’ve all got your three grand in chips in front of you. The pot is thirty grand, winner takes all. If you bust out, you can do unlimited re-buys, but they're the same price as the buy-in was. The big blind is $100 to start, small blind is $50, and the blinds will rise after the tenth round.” The players all nodded.

“Deb, you’re the only one not playing, so just keep an eye on everything for us please,” Danny said. Debbie nodded. They had an unspoken arrangement that Debbie would watch out for cheating and any subtle signals between players. Most of these guys wouldn’t dare to cheat in a game run by Danny Ocean, but you never knew for sure. There were some big egos here.

“Since you’re just sitting there, can you get me a drink, sweetheart?” a guy named Sean suddenly piped up.

Debbie saw Lou open her mouth immediately, but Debbie beat her to it. “Absolutely not,” she said evenly. “You’ve got legs, use ’em. Or go thirsty. I couldn’t care less.” She took a slow, deliberate drink of her wine.

A couple of the guys chuckled and Sean closed his mouth, which had gaped open for a second. He hung his head and scratched at an invisible mark on the table. Debbie saw Lou bite her lip as she tried not to laugh out loud.

Danny continued. “Debbie’s not here to fetch anyone anything. If you want anything or need a break, just do it. Moving on: Steve deals first, David is the small blind, and Lou is the big blind. If there are no other questions, we’ll start.”

“Let’s,” Steve said. Lou and David placed their blinds on the table and the hand began with Steve dealing out the hole cards to everyone.  Debbie watched the body language of each player as they subtly glanced at the two cards they’d been dealt. She noticed that Lou didn’t even look at her cards; she was just watching everybody else.  _Smart_ , Debbie thought.

To Lou’s left was a guy named Omaid who Debbie didn’t know. He called by throwing in $100 to match the big blind.  Everyone else called too, except for Sean who folded and went to get himself a drink from the kitchen. He muttered a “sorry” as he walked by Deb, which she chose to ignore as she watched Lou quickly glance at her cards and mutter “Check”.  Steve now dealt the three cards of the flop face-up on the table and the round continued with Joey, Steve and Danny all folding on the flop. Lou folded on the next round, the turn, and lost the $300 that she’d placed to stay in beforehand; so did Rusty and two others.

On the final round of betting, Debbie could see how big these bets were going to get and how quickly people could bust out. Steve dealt the fifth and final card face-up on the table, a seven of clubs. With only two players left, Paul won the hand by betting another $400 on the river against Omaid, who called and then narrowly lost on his two pair to Paul’s lucky three-of-a-kind of sevens.

“Damn,” Rusty said as he watched Paul happily collect the first pot of $3500.  Although he and Lou had only lost $300 on that first round, and Danny only $100, poor Omaid was already down $1000.  Debbie could see already that the stakes were high and that one bad bet or bluff could send anyone out of the game pretty fast. _I am so glad I’m not playing this right now_ , she thought. Debbie liked taking risks, but this was the kind of risk she didn’t particularly like; it involved too many factors. Randomness, a bunch of skilled liars, drinking, unpredictability, and worst of all, plain old luck that could bite you in the ass on any round. The control freak in Debbie didn’t particularly love playing this type of game.  However, she could relate to the look of adrenaline and endorphins that were dancing across Paul’s face as he stacked up his now-larger pile of chips. _The winning part: that’s amazing. It’s such a high._

She found herself wondering what Lou’s face would look like when she inevitably won one of these hands, and Debbie couldn’t wait to see it.  She looked over at the blonde woman now, and saw that Lou was already looking back at her. Lou raised an eyebrow and shrugged her left shoulder almost invisibly, and Debbie understood immediately: _Oh well. Next hand might be better_. Debbie gave her a wink and a smile and watched as Lou’s body relaxed in the chair as she smiled right back at her. Debbie realized that even after such a short time, her and Lou were quite in sync. It did feel like the two of them were a team.  _Associates_ , as Lou had said.

Rusty was cracking one of his dumb jokes as Sean returned to the table with a beer and the next hand could begin. Debbie saw that Lou had finished the glass of water she’d been nursing and decided to go get her a refill. As she slowly got up off the chair, she could hear the next hand starting with David as the dealer, and Lou’s low voice saying, “Here,” with the ticking of chips hitting the table as the blinds were placed by her and Omaid. Even though she knew Lou was watching the game, Debbie could also sense that Lou was watching her as she strolled across the living room and into the kitchen. Her body felt warm as she imagined Lou’s pale blue eyes fixing on her from across the room, and she slowed down her pace ever so slightly.

In the kitchen, Debbie decided to open Lou’s bottle of cognac for her and poured a small measure into the crystal glass. She also filled up a fresh glass of water and took both directly over to Lou, who was watching intently as the 10th player, Kev, decided whether to call or raise. Debbie placed the drinks on the wooden rim at the edge of the table by Lou’s right hand and took away her empty glass. She leaned down, her lips brushing against the back of Lou’s ear.

“Here you go, gorgeous,” she whispered almost inaudibly. Debbie could see Lou clench her jaw ever so slightly, but that was the only giveaway that any of this had created a reaction in her.

When Debbie stood up, Sean was staring at the two of them across the table, his mouth open again, a finger pointing accusingly at Lou’s fresh drinks.

“But you said…” he began, and Lou cut him off immediately.

“She’s got legs, and she used ’em,” Lou said in a deadpan voice.

Danny laughed suddenly and loudly, and the rest of the table followed. Sean turned pink. Through his own laughter, Kev coughed out, “Call”, tossing his chips onto the felt. Debbie walked around the table and settled back into her spot. She watched closely as Lou raised the crystal snifter and took a sip of her cognac, her icy blue eyes seeming a shade or two darker now as they met Debbie’s over the rim of the glass. There was a level of heat, of intensity, in the look that Lou was giving her which hadn’t been there only a few minutes before.

Debbie crossed her legs and picked up her wine, sipping it and feeling quite smug.  _Now it’s game on,_ she thought.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This took forever to update because I did something really dumb and lost an entire chapter that I had written! Then I sulked about it for like 2 weeks lol.   
> Thanks for being patient and I hope to update a bit more frequently in April!  
> If you like it, please comment or come chat with me on tumblr (chicksonspeed)


	8. The River

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shit gets real in the game! This chapter is heavier on the poker stuff, so if you are super confused, there's a link below with a basic outline of the rules. I only play poker occasionally and casually (and only in real life with friends, not online)... but I think it's a super fun game to play. Just don't bet too much money ;)  
> [-How to Play Texas Holdem-](https://www.cardplayer.com/rules-of-poker/how-to-play-poker/games/texas-holdem) [-Poker Hand Rankings-](https://www.cardplayer.com/rules-of-poker/hand-rankings)

\-----------------

Debbie was trying her hardest to keep an eye on the game as she’d promised Danny she would. It was hard to focus completely on the cards and players when her eyes kept flicking back over to one player, specifically. Lou continually drew her gaze, seemingly against her will. It was hard not to be pulled in by the platinum blonde hair, the smoky eyes, the smirking mouth, and everything that was just… _Lou_. She exuded a magnetism that Debbie found intoxicating.

_Then again, maybe it’s the wine_ , Debbie thought. She realized that she was on her third glass already and decided to slow down after this. The last thing she needed was to get messy and make a fool of herself in front of everyone. _In front of Lou_. She finished the last sip of her wine and put the glass down on the coffee table in front of her, then folded her arms and straightened up her posture as she leaned back onto the soft arm of the chair. _Concentrate, dammit_.

The current hand was wrapping up, with only Kev and Danny still in it as the final card was being dealt. David burned a card and then placed the river, a seven of hearts, on the table. Danny smirked and immediately pushed a $500 stack of chips in front of him. “Raise,” he said, with a confident smile.

_He’s bluffing_ , Debbie knew immediately. There was already $2000 in the pot and Danny wanted to squeeze a bit more out of the hand. She watched Kev’s shoulders tense up as he decided what to do. He hesitated for a moment, and then counted out some chips. “Call,” Kev said, with a slight catch in his voice. _He’s got nothing_ , Debbie thought. _Maybe a pair_.

If Danny was nervous about a potential showdown, he didn’t break a sweat about it. He simply clicked together another stack of chips and pushed them into the middle of the table. “Raise $1000,” he said casually. Debbie smiled. Danny always tried to push other people just to see what they would do. Debbie knew he played this way because he genuinely didn’t care if he won or lost; he didn’t care about the money. The fun of it for him was seeing how other people played, how they reacted; working out what made other people tick.

The room held its collective breath as Kev stared at his remaining chips. If he bet another $1000 now and lost, he’d probably bust out of the game soon. It really depended on whether he thought Danny was bluffing or not, and Kev didn’t know him well enough to tell. To Debbie it seemed obvious, and when she glanced over at Lou, she seemed to know it too: she was giving Danny such an incredulous look of disbelief that Debbie almost laughed out loud.

“Fuck,” Kev said, and threw his cards face down on the table, folding. Lou shook her head, seemingly disappointed at how easily Danny’s victim had collapsed. The other players just looked relieved that it hadn’t happened to them.

“Thank you, thank you,” Danny said, smiling as he collected his winnings, stacking the chips up in tidy columns.

“Beer run!” Rusty called out suddenly. “Who needs one?” A couple of the guys put up their hands, and a short break was implied as empty bottles were cleared away and David collected up all the cards to put them through the card shuffler for the next hand. Debbie was pleased to see Lou stand up immediately and make her way around the table to come talk to her with her glass of cognac in her hand. Debbie stood up too and couldn’t stop herself from smiling as Lou approached. _Damn, she looks cute in that suit._ The way that Lou strutted towards her, she seemed to know it too.

“Thanks for the drink,” Lou said quietly as she sidled up close to Debbie. “I think you made the others jealous.”

“Good,” Debbie shrugged. “Anything to throw them off their game.”

“Is that why you did it?” Lou asked. “Were you just trying to create a distraction?” She took a small sip of the cognac, and Debbie tried not to stare at the pale expanse of Lou’s throat as she swallowed.

Debbie cleared her throat. “No, I felt like getting you a drink. You looked thirsty.”

“You were right about that,” Lou said, raising an eyebrow. Debbie blushed when she realized the possible double meaning of what she’d said, but Lou changed the subject.

“So, Danny was bullshitting,” Lou said, matter of fact. “Kevin should have called his bluff. He chickened out. Now he’ll try to make up for it and probably do something stupid.”

“Agreed,” Debbie said evenly. “You’ve got a good chance against these guys. You can read them like a book, can’t you?”

“Some of them,” Lou said. “Men are pretty easy to figure out. If you were playing tonight, though… I’d probably find it harder to win.”

“Oh yeah?” Debbie laughed. “Why’s that?”

“Because you’re distracting,” Lou said simply. “And… I don’t know… you’re harder to read.”

“Come on, really? Why?”

“Because you keep looking at me, and I can’t help but wonder what you’re thinking.” Lou said, turning her glass around slowly in her hand.

_Isn’t it obvious?_ Debbie thought. Then she realized that Lou was probing for clues, trying to figure out Debbie’s motivations. The big production of bringing Lou her drink had probably thrown her off. _She wants to make sure I’m really flirting with her, and she’s too scared to ask._

“Maybe you’re the one who keeps looking at me,” Debbie retorted. She didn’t know what else to say. She realized that her and Lou were standing on the precipice of something and they were both hoping the other person would jump off the edge first.

“Should I stop looking at you?” Lou replied. She took another slow sip of her cognac and Debbie’s mouth dropped open slightly as she watched Lou’s tongue dart out to lick a stray drop of brandy from the corner of her mouth.

“No… don’t stop,” Debbie said quietly. “You can do anything you want to.”

“Anything?” Lou murmured, taking a tiny step towards her. They were so close now. Debbie felt a strong urge to reach out, to grab Lou’s belt and pull her right against her body. _God, I want to feel what she feels like_.

Rusty’s beaming face suddenly appeared over Lou’s shoulder. “Game on, gals,” he said, gesturing towards the table with a handful of beer bottles. “You’re the dealer, Lou. Come and kick our asses already!” He waltzed over to the poker table and started handing out the drinks.

Lou closed her eyes and took a deep breath, conjuring up her game face again. “You bloody Oceans,” she muttered.

“He’s not even one of us!” Debbie countered.

“I wasn’t talking about him,” Lou answered, rolling her eyes. Debbie laughed.

“Touché,” Debbie said. “We are rather frustrating.” She reached out slowly, and carefully straightened the lapels of Lou’s jacket, brushing off a tiny piece of lint. Lou inhaled sharply as Debbie gently fixed her up, exhaling slowly as Debbie’s fingers lightly brushed over the fabric before dropping her hands back down to her sides.

“Go win the next hand for me. I’m your associate, remember? I’m in your corner,” Debbie said, smiling sincerely at Lou.

“I know you are, honey,” Lou said, and reached up to tuck a stray piece of Debbie’s hair softly back behind her ear. She turned swiftly and trotted back over to her seat at the table, ready to deal.

That small gesture felt to Debbie like the most romantic thing in the world.

\-------------------------------

If Debbie thought that watching Lou strut across in a room in a suit was sexy, watching her deal cards was enough to make her spontaneously combust. With a bored expression, Lou took the cards from the automatic shuffler, then cut them and did an insanely fast strip shuffle of the deck before placing a cut card on the bottom of the deck and starting her deal. The two pocket cards were dealt out to each player at lightning speed, each one sliding perfectly flat into its assigned spot. Debbie had a good view of Rusty’s face as he received his cards and he was beaming at Lou, pleased by her confidence. He and Debbie understood why she was showing off her skills; Lou was trying to intimidate the others. Acting like a Vegas croupier was just another small way to undermine the poise of the other players and judging by some of the nervous body language around the table, it worked. Paul, in particular, seemed irritated.

Lou settled back into her chair with a look of neutral indifference. Danny looked amused at Lou’s performance. He was the big blind on this hand, and he glanced at his cards before turning to his left to see what Joey was going to do. Joey, Paul, Rusty and Steve all called, as did Lou, each of them throwing in $100 chips to match the big blind. Danny stayed in it, and Debbie guessed it was more for his own entertainment than because he had anything especially good; he just didn’t want to be left out of this one. The rest of the table folded, and Lou burned a card face-down before dealing the three cards of the flop onto the table.

_Ace of diamonds, four of clubs, ten of hearts_.  Debbie found herself leaning forward to watch the remaining players more closely. She looked hard at Lou’s face, but for once the blonde woman wasn’t looking back at her. Lou was glancing around the table, fixing her gaze on Paul most of all. Debbie couldn’t read Lou’s expression at all, which told her that Lou probably had something. _Come on, baby_ , Debbie thought, over and over.

“Action’s on you, Danny,” Lou murmured, and Danny grinned, pausing for a long moment before saying, “Check”, staying in the hand without betting.

“Check,” echoed Joey, taking a swig of beer.

“Raise,” said Paul, rather loudly. “$300.” He shoved a small clutch of chips forward on the table.

“Goodbye,” Rusty laughed, folding by placing his cards face-down.

Steve, Lou and Danny all called Paul’s bet and stayed in the hand, placing their own stacks of $300 chips. Joey folded and got up to stretch his legs, turning around and smiling at Debbie.

“Your girlfriend’s good,” he muttered quietly. “I know a shark when I see one.”

“She’s not my –” Debbie started to say. She didn’t finish as Joey had already turned back to the game where Lou was dealing the turn card.

_Ten of clubs_. Debbie looked around the table, trying to gauge any reaction from the four remaining players. Nobody was giving anything away, especially not Lou, who looked more bored than ever.

“Check,” Danny said again, taking a sip of his whiskey and seeming very amused with himself. Debbie rolled her eyes. _Well, he definitely has nothing_ , she thought.

“Raise another $300,” Paul announced, pushing more chips into the center of the table. He had a smug expression on his face and Debbie found herself profoundly annoyed by him, as usual.

“Fold,” said Steve, the next player.  Now the action was on Lou. She looked closely at Paul for a few seconds, maintaining eye contact until Paul lowered his eyes back down to his cards.

“Call,” Lou said calmly, casually throwing $300 in chips in front of her. Paul looked up again and stared back at Lou, seeming to take her confidence as a personal offense.

“It’s been fun, but I’ll fold,” Danny said, throwing his cards down. _That was obvious_ , Debbie thought. She looked over and waited for Paul to say “Check” so Lou could deal the fifth and final card of the hand, but to her surprise he was counting out more chips.

“Raise. $600,” he said, with a hint of disdain in his voice. Debbie knew that Paul was just pulling the same trick Danny had, trying to scare Lou out of the hand. The only trouble was, Lou was much less likely to back down than poor Kev had been. Even if Lou didn’t have shit in her hand, Debbie knew that she wouldn’t like being pushed around by Paul like this before she’d had the chance to deal the river.

Sure enough, Lou didn’t even hesitate and counted out another $600 in chips, adding them to the pile. “Call,” she said, a smile playing on her lips. Debbie was impressed by her self-assurance, given that she’d just dumped $1300 into the pot in the last two minutes.

“Fine. Check,” Paul said, drumming his fingers on the table. The other players shifted in their seats, uncomfortable with Paul’s attitude. Debbie wasn’t surprised; she’d seen this before from him. _Jackass_ , she thought.

“Great,” Lou said with a touch of sarcasm. Grabbing the deck again, she burned a card and then placed the river card next to the rest of the cards face-up on the table. It was a four of spades.

_Two pairs right on the table? What are the chances?_ Debbie scrutinized Lou’s face, but she could read absolutely nothing from her expression.  _If either of them has a four or a ten, that’s an easy win with three of a kind_. Debbie found that she was tapping her high-heeled foot on the floor in anticipation and grabbed her own thigh to stop herself. When she glanced over at Lou again, she caught the quickest of winks being thrown her way. Debbie smiled. _She’s got something_.

Paul had a smug look of satisfaction on his face as he counted out another stack of chips. He smelled blood in the water; he was determined to take Lou down.

“Raise. $500,” he said, smiling in a phony way in Lou’s direction.

Lou smiled right back. She seemed deep in thought for a moment, contemplating the modest stack of chips that she had left. She was tapping a $100 chip against the table for a moment, and then came to a sudden decision.

“I’ll see your $500,” she said, pushing a handful of chips forward. “And I’ll raise you another $1000.” She nudged another stack of chips into the pot, and leaned back in her chair, looking bored again.

_What?_ Debbie was frankly shocked. That was almost all of Lou’s remaining chips: if she lost now, she’d barely have enough to get through another hand. She’d have to quit the game or buy back in for another three grand to last the night. Debbie wished she’d refilled her wine glass after all; this was a huge risk for Lou to be taking and she could feel herself panicking. _Shit, when I told her to win the next hand, I didn’t mean for her to take it so seriously. Oh, Lou…_

Paul looked surprised but collected himself quickly. “Your funeral, babe,” he said, practically laughing in Lou’s face. He counted out another $1000 and threw the chips in emphatically with the rest. “Anything else you want to add? You don’t have much left to bet with,” Paul said with derision.

“Thanks, I’m good,” Lou smiled sweetly. “Shall we…?” She gestured to Paul, inviting him to show his cards. He wasn’t obligated to show his cards first, but it was obvious that he wanted to; he was itching to humiliate Lou with whatever he’d been holding onto. All the players at the table leaned forward slightly. This was the first real showdown of the night, and it was a good one. Even Danny looked excited, swishing his whiskey around in his glass and clenching his jaw.

“Sorry, girl. Full fucking barn,” Paul said arrogantly. He turned over his cards, revealing the ace of spades and the ace of hearts. “Full house, aces full of tens.”

The players let out a collective ‘whoosh’ sound. It was an amazing hand. Debbie felt her heart sink. _Dammit!_ She was so disappointed for Lou. She looked over at the blonde woman and saw that she still had the same bored, enigmatic look on her face.

“What a shame,” Lou said. “That’s a great hand. Well done.”

“Hmm, thanks,” Paul said, trying to be gracious. Debbie rolled her eyes. _Don’t try to be polite now after being a fucking asshole to her._ Debbie sighed to herself as Paul stood up and moved to start pulling the large pile of chips towards his section of the table. There was well over six grand sitting there for him to collect. Debbie felt awful watching Paul start to stack up the chips with glee.

“Wait,” Lou said then, and Paul stopped, looking over at her in confusion. Lou tilted her head in that disarming way she had, gazing quietly at him. “I didn’t show you my cards yet,” she said slowly, like a parent trying to explain something to a confused toddler.

“When I said _what a shame_ ,” Lou continued, “I meant… what a shame for you.” She turned over her hand, revealing two red cards: the four of hearts and the four of diamonds.

“Four of a kind,” Lou said simply. “Beats your full fucking barn.”

The air seemed to be sucked out of the room as they all took it in. Debbie stood up and found herself striding over to the table to have a closer look. _No fucking way_. Nobody said anything for at least ten seconds.

Rusty broke the silence with a loud guffaw. “Holy shit! I can’t believe it. Lou, you’re the luckiest woman alive!”

Lou just sat there, still looking calm and somewhat uninterested, but there was a smile playing on her lips. She didn’t make a move to start collecting her winnings, as Paul was still holding onto a couple of handfuls of chips. He seemed frozen in place.

“Way to go, Lou,” Danny said, lifting his glass in her direction. “You sucked that out big time. If not for that last four coming out on the river… damn. That took some guts.”

“No…” Paul said quietly. Everyone ignored him as the silence broke and they chatted about Lou’s killer hand. Debbie grinned as Lou finally made eye contact with her again, and a subtle feeling, an electric buzz, seemed to pass between them. Lou’s eyes crinkled as she kept watching Debbie, just smiling easily, neither of them needing to say anything. _Holy crap, I’ve got the best damn associate who ever lived_ , Debbie thought with delight. _Not to mention the hottest._

“It’s impossible!” Paul shouted, his loud voice rising suddenly above the fray. “There’s no fucking way she did that.”

The chatter in the room fell away. Everyone turned to look at Paul, who was shaking a fistful of chips in Lou’s direction. “Fucking fours? There’s no way you got that… how could you…? To beat a full house of aces? What a joke.”

“Apparently there is a way,” Lou said evenly. “There you have it.” She gestured casually at the cards again, plain as day on the table. “Four of a kind beats your hand and you know it.”

“You’re a fucking cheater,” Paul said, his voice rising dangerously. “There’s no way I lost on that. You did something. You dealt dirty. Something… shit… there’s just no way…”

Danny stood up, furious. “You can’t be serious, Paul. You lost. Get over it and get it together.”

“Do you even know her, Danny? You saw her dealing those cards all fancy and shit. She could have slipped that four in there, easy, for the last one. She could have… she probably…” Paul trailed off.

“Come on, man,” Omaid piped in. “Don’t be crazy. We’re all sitting here watching. Nothing like that went down.”

“Yeah, Paul, nobody saw anything weird happen during the game, not even you. Don’t be a sore loser,” Rusty added, standing up and putting his hand on Paul’s shoulder. “Debbie was watching too, and she can see the whole game from where she’s sitting. Did you see anything strange, Debs?”

“Oh, right!” Paul scoffed. “As if she’d snitch on her little girlfriend. Those two fucking dykes are in it together.”

The room went deadly quiet. Debbie felt her body stiffen as she took in the words that Paul had casually thrown out there. _What the hell did he just call us?_  She looked over at Lou, whose easy smile had disappeared, her mouth dropping open, clearly upset. Debbie could have cried when she saw the look of hurt in Lou’s eyes.

“Oh, shit,” Steve muttered under his breath.

There was a sort of crunching sound, and Debbie turned towards it. She watched as Rusty’s hand, still on Paul’s shoulder, gripped onto it so tightly that Paul gasped out loud and dropped the handfuls of poker chips he’d been holding onto the floor. She heard the clinking sound of Danny’s glass being placed on the table, and observed her brother stalk slowly around the table towards Paul, who was struggling in Rusty’s grip, looking suddenly terrified.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! There is more to come which is heavier on the Loubbie, with more 'action' of the non-poker variety...  
> Please comment if you have a moment, to let me know if you are enjoying the story :)


	9. Gutshot

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Snark and sexual tension and sandwiches.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Many many thanks to Netterz for editing this chapter, I really appreciate it! <3
> 
> Hope you all enjoy the latest installment. Thank you for reading!

 

* * *

 

By the time Danny had reached Paul and grabbed onto his collar, the other six men at the table had all stood up and turned towards Paul too, dark looks on their faces. Kev, who had been sitting on the other side of Paul, actually rolled up his sleeves. Debbie would have laughed at how cartoonish it all looked if she hadn’t been so dismayed at the sudden turn of events. She glanced over at Lou again, who was still sitting down, now looking around at the posse of guys who were looming and practically cracking their knuckles around her. She looked more surprised than angry.

Danny gripped hard onto Paul’s shirt and pulled his face close to his own. “You’re done. You’re leaving before we all do something we may or may not regret.”

“I’m sorry… I…” Paul began, but Danny just shook his head.

“Don’t,” Danny said. “Just don’t. I don’t put up with that hateful shit in my house. You’re leaving right now.” He shook Paul with every word he said next. “You disrespected my family, my friends, my home, and my game. You’re not welcome anymore. Never come back here. You’re out.”

Paul looked around, his eyes wide, not seeing not a single ally in the room. He couldn’t even look Debbie or Lou in the eye. When he glanced down at the pile of his remaining winnings on the table, Rusty squeezed his injured shoulder even tighter, growling, “Don’t even think about it.” Paul gasped again and nodded frantically.

Danny released him and turned away, disgusted. Kev stepped over and gripped Paul’s other shoulder with his large hands, and then looked over at Lou. “Anything you want to say to him, Lou?”

“Say to who?” Lou said lightly, tilting her head as if confused. Debbie couldn’t help but smile; what was colder than icing someone right out of existence?

Kev looked over at Deb, asking the same silent question. She just said in a loud stage whisper, “Bye-bye”, and gave a tiny little wave in Paul’s direction, which she flipped around at the last second to give him a quick middle finger. She heard Lou laughing behind her. Paul looked down at the floor silently, and then yelped as the two guys hauled him away towards the front door, his feet almost dragging along the floor.

The tension in the room eased slightly, but everything felt deflated. The remaining players looked around at each other, not sure what to do next. They heard the door swing open, a grunt and a wallop as Paul was tossed unceremoniously into the hall, and then a loud slam as the door banged shut. Debbie smiled as she heard Kev shout “ _Piss off!_ ” through the closed door.

“Let’s take a break,” Danny sighed, spreading his hands helplessly at the rest of the group. “Let’s eat something, maybe smoke something. Get that bad energy out of here. We can start the game up again in a bit. Leave the table as-is and we’ll sort it out after.” Everyone nodded and started moving out of the room, heading towards the kitchen for drinks and the dining room for food. David approached Debbie, who was still standing in the same spot, unable to move.

“I’m sorry he said that, Debs,” David offered. “What a piece of work. Don’t let it get you down. He’s just jealous because your hot girlfriend made a fool of him.”

“She’s not my,” Debbie began. She hesitated. “Thanks, David,” she said finally. He smiled and walked off with Steve to get a drink.  Debbie noticed that only Lou was left at the poker table, looking at the big pile of her winnings in the center of the table with a wan smile. Debbie went over and sat in the seat next to her. They sat together in silence for a minute.

“So much for my big win,” Lou said, finally. “That sure killed the vibe.”

“Yeah, that was… unfortunate,” Debbie agreed. “Lou… are you okay? You looked pretty upset when he called you a… you know.”

“A dyke? Yeah, whatever. Nothing I haven’t heard before,” Lou scoffed. She picked up her four of hearts card and tapped it on the table. “And it’s usually coming from some insecure jerk, just like that guy.”

“It doesn’t bother you?”

“No, not really,” Lou said. “I mean, I don’t want to be called names by some fucking asshole, but if I worried about what everyone said about me, hell, I’d never leave the house. I was more upset that he called you that, to be honest.”

“That he called me a dyke, or that he called me your girlfriend?” Debbie said, nudging Lou with her shoulder and getting a small chuckle out of her.

“The second one, obviously. I’m mortally offended that he thought we were dating,” Lou said, nudging Debbie right back. She turned and looked at Debbie head-on. “I’m sorry he said that to you. I might be used to it, but…”

“I’m not,” Debbie finished. “But Lou, it’s fine. I don’t care what a guy like that has to say. He doesn’t even know me.”

Lou nodded. “The rest of the guys really stood up for you… for us. I kind of can’t believe it. They must be really loyal to you Oceans.”

“They are,” Debbie agreed. “And they know a prick when they see one. Anyway, they love Danny, and by extension, I guess they love me. And, well… that extends to you, because… I think they do all think we’re dating.” She looked at Lou with a nervous smile. “I’ve already had two unprompted comments about it.”

Lou raised her eyebrows. “Well then, maybe I should just ask you out already.”

“You already said you’d take me out if you won the poker game, when you were here earlier tonight,” Debbie reminded her. “I’m expecting a $30,000 date.”

Lou laughed loudly. “Damn, okay – that might take some planning.” She paused. “That was just bravado, when I said that before. I was… well, seeing how you reacted. But then I just walked away, so I never got to see what you would say. I’m such an idiot.”

Debbie smiled to herself, remembering how she’d felt so many things—excitement, confusion, suspicion, happiness—after Lou had left earlier that night. How she couldn’t wait for Lou to come back. How she’d imagined what Lou might wear. How she’d felt hot as hell in the bathtub when she’d started to imagine what it would feel like to have Lou touch her.

“I was… surprised… when you said that,” Debbie began slowly. Lou looked embarrassed, so Debbie quickly went on. “In a good way. I was glad you did. I felt like I was making such an ass of myself the whole time you were here, so I was hoping that maybe… you liked me. Whether it was just as friends or something more, I didn’t care. I’m just interested in you. In getting to know you.”

“Me too,” Lou said. “There’s something about you.” Lou looked up shyly and met Debbie’s eyes. Being so close to Lou now, her icy blue eyes gazing intensely into her own, a hopeful half-smile on her lips, Debbie felt her mind go blank again. She felt stunned; she couldn’t think of anything to say, and her brain wouldn’t let her mouth form words anyway.

Instead she reached for one of Lou’s hands with both of her own and held onto it. She interlaced their fingers with one hand, and with the other she traced the tips of her fingers lightly back and forth across Lou’s wrist. She watched, intrigued, as Lou’s breathing sped up a little. Lou shifted her chair a little closer so their knees were touching.  Debbie could feel the soft texture of Lou’s trousers brushing up against her bare leg and it made her shiver. She squeezed Lou’s hand and smiled at her, hoping she would say something.

“You look so good in that dress, it should be a crime,” Lou said in a low voice. “I could see those gorgeous legs the whole time I was playing. Could barely remember what my cards were.” Debbie’s mind went from blank slate to static overload. _You wanted her to say something? That’s something, alright. Fucking hell._ She forced her brain to formulate something to say back.

“It hasn’t seemed to hinder you so far,” Debbie whispered. “Should I cover up so you can play even better?”

“Absolutely not!” Lou yelped, and they both laughed at her panicked voice. “You are definitely not allowed to cover up even an inch of this skin.” With her free hand, Lou reached out and rested her palm lightly on Debbie’s knee, her fingers drawing an idle pattern across the top of her thigh. “Is this okay?” She asked quietly.

“Yes,” Debbie sighed. “Lou… I told you,” Her breath was getting heavier as she felt Lou’s fingers, hot on her skin, inching closer to the hem of her dress. “You can do anything you want to.”

“Be careful what you wish for, Deborah,” Lou muttered, and she leaned over, close to Debbie’s ear. “Because I’ve been thinking of lots of things I want to do.” Debbie closed her eyes and had to press her lips together to stop herself from gasping out loud. _Oh my God. This woman is going to kill me._ She tightened her grip on Lou’s hand and tried not to make a sound as she felt Lou’s fingers slip under the edge of her dress and creep another inch higher on the soft skin of her thigh. _Fuck_.

There was a loud crash from the kitchen, and Debbie’s eyes snapped open again. She turned around to see David and Steve fussing with the wine opener, having knocked over an ice bucket as they clumsily tried to open a bottle of red.

“Oh my God. I keep forgetting we’re in an apartment full of people,” Debbie said, her face feeling hot. “Dammit… I… I guess we should stop.”

Lou was smiling widely at Debbie’s frustration. “For now,” she said simply. “Maybe we can continue this later.” She squeezed Debbie’s thigh and then extricated her hand. “I probably shouldn’t be doing this with your brother ten feet away. I saw how fast he collared that Paul guy. He could throw me out into the hall too.”

“No, silly,” Debbie laughed. “Danny likes you. Actually,” She hesitated. “He thought we’d… get along. That you and I had a lot in common.”

“Oh, you were talking about me, were you?” Lou said, her voice lilting. “How flattering.”

“Don’t get cocky,” Debbie said with a smile. “I was a bit nervous before you came back, but Danny and Rusty were great about it.”

“Good. I like them too. But I like you more,” Lou said with a wink.

“You’re such a flirt!” Debbie said, feigning shock. “You should definitely stop immediately.” She removed her hands from Lou’s and dramatically flipped her hair over her shoulder, fixing Lou with a purposefully intense stare. “Because I am _definitely_ not flirting with you.”

“Clearly,” Lou grinned. Looking behind her, she gestured with her head towards the dining room. “Do you want to go get some food? They’ll probably want to start the game back up soon, and I didn’t really eat anything before I came. I’m starving.”

“Oh, Lou, you should have said something,” Debbie said, moving to stand up. “I could have brought you a plate. I should have taken you over to the food as soon as you got here. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be,” Lou said. “Earlier I was… too nervous to eat,” she admitted. “I’m not feeling like that now.” She paused. “I just had my hand up your dress. It really put things in perspective.”

Debbie laughed again. She liked how much Lou made her laugh, and how fun this all was. _What was I so nervous about?  She’s cute and sexy and… nice. Really nice._ She placed a hand flat on the lapel of Lou’s suit jacket one more time.

“You look so good in this suit, it should be a crime,” Debbie said softly, echoing Lou’s words.

“So arrest me,” Lou replied simply, and then stood up smoothly, stepping away from Debbie and swaggering over towards the spread of food in the next room.

Debbie shook her head as she felt, again, like a silly little girl in comparison to Lou’s effortless, ice queen embodiment of cool. _How does she do that?_  She didn’t feel nervous anymore, though; Lou had been right about that. Debbie subtly pulled down the bottom of her dress, which had ridden up her thighs a few inches thanks to Lou. When she looked up, she noticed Rusty grinning at her from across the room and giving her the thumbs-up. Debbie blushed and went over to talk to him; the de facto brother who always had her back.

* * *

The tension in the apartment had definitely eased, Debbie noticed, as she looked around the dining room at the now-smiling faces of Danny’s friends. It didn’t hurt that they had plates piled high with food, that the drinks were plentiful, and that Sean was lighting up one of the blunts that Lou had sold Danny and Rusty earlier that night.

Rusty opened a window and brought over an ashtray while Sean, Joey, Omaid, and Steve all shared the blunt. Debbie and Rusty laughed as the guys coughed violently as they passed it around.

“Damn, this is strong!” Steve wheezed. “It’s good. Where’d you get it?”

“We got it from the best source in town,” Rusty said, talking around a mouthful of shrimp. He pointed at Lou, who was standing across the room with Danny and delicately piling hors d’oeuvres on her plate. “It’s Lou’s stuff.”

“Heeeeeyyyyyyy!” called out the guys in unison. “Louuuuuu!”

Lou looked over, then smiled knowingly when she realized what they were on about. “Enjoy,” she called out. “In fact, smoke it all! It’ll be even easier to beat you,” she said, laughing.

“We dooooonnn’t caaaaaarrre,” Omaid yelled, and the guys all laughed harder.

“You gonna have any of that blunt?” Debbie asked Rusty. “Or are you already high?” She was staring, amazed, at how fast he was shoveling shrimp into his mouth. It was enough to put her off seafood for life.

He swallowed loudly. “Nah,” he said. “I’m not, and I’m not gonna have any right now. I’m barely hanging on in this game as it is. If I get stoned it’ll be over in ten minutes.” He shrugged. “I’ve got a good chance of lasting at least twenty minutes if I don’t partake.” He finished his shrimp and moved on to a piece of bruschetta, somehow fitting the entire thing in his mouth.

Debbie snorted. “Well, you just keep folding. Maybe you’re due to get a good hand on the next one.”

“Honestly…?” Rusty said, chewing. “Now that Paul’s gone, I don’t even care. I’d be happy with whoever won. I just didn’t want him to win, now that I think about it… Paul’s always been a bit of a dick. Glad to be rid of him.” He shrugged. “Anyway, I think Lady Luck has her eye on someone else tonight.” He looked pointedly over at Lou. “Maybe I’m just being a softy, but I kind of want Lou to win… or you.”

“Rust, I’m not playing, remember?”

“Oh no. You are,” Rusty retorted, a sly smile spreading across his face. “What else are we gonna do with all of Paul’s chips?”

“I don’t know—anything?” Debbie shrugged. “Throw them in the pot, give everyone a cut, whatever. I don’t need to get in there and play.”

“Let see what everyone else thinks—

“Rusty, no!”

“Hey everyone,” Rusty shouted before Debbie could stop him. “I have a proposition. Whadda ya say that Debs here takes over Paul’s spot at the table?”

Before Debbie could even formulate a decent counter-argument, a resounding cheer went up in the room. “Yeaaahhhhhh.” Then Joey and Steve started chanting, “Deb! Deb! Deb!”

“Oh, Lord. They’re all wasted,” Debbie muttered.

“Good! That means you stand a chance to beat them all,” Rusty grinned. “Except you’ll also have to beat your girlfriend. Good luck with that.”

“She’s not my,” Debbie paused and took a deep breath. “Girlfriend.” The word felt odd in her mouth. Odd, but thrilling. “Not… yet. She’s not anything yet.” She tried in vain to stop herself from beaming at the memory of how Lou’s hand had felt, her strong fingers intertwined with her own.

“Okay, Debbie. Whatever you say,” Rusty grinned. “But let me tell you something: your poker face sucks.”

“Shut up,” Debbie laughed. “Well, she did tell me she likes me.”

“That’s great, Debs,” Rusty said, now stuffing a mini crab cake in his mouth. “I could tell. In fact, I think she lost the Jack of Hearts up your dress. Good thing she was able to do a search.”

“Oh my God. You’re the worst.” Debbie wanted to be mad, but it was actually too funny. “Hopefully not everybody saw that.”

“I don’t think so,” Rusty said. “And who cares anyway?” He put his plate down, which was finally empty. “I have a question for you, though.” He lowered his voice. “Do you think Lou could have cheated on that last card?”

Debbie was surprised. “I don’t know,” she admitted. “I didn’t see anything. I don’t think so.”

“You don’t want to think so,” Rusty pressed. “But, it was a pretty damn lucky break. And, well, we saw how light-fingered she was earlier tonight. I mean, she planted money in the ass of your pants and you had no clue.”

“I know,” Debbie confessed in a whisper. “But why would she cheat? She doesn’t need to.”

“We don’t know that,” Rusty mumbled. “I’d understand if she just wanted to humiliate Paul, prove a point. But cheating in our games is a big deal. Danny would be royally pissed.”

Debbie felt a sinking feeling in her stomach. She didn’t want to entertain the idea at all, but she couldn’t deny that Rusty could be right. Had anyone _really_ been watching Lou the whole time? How hard would it have been for her to slip that four of spades onto the top of the deck? Debbie kept quiet, thinking hard, trying to replay that last hand in her mind.

She suddenly didn’t feel as sure anymore about why Lou was really here. _Why did she come?_ $30,000 wasn’t that much money. But at the same time, it was. It was enough for someone who really needed it. And Debbie didn’t know anything about that when it came to Lou. She really didn’t know her at all.

“Ugh,” she sighed, finally. “Why’d you have to say that?” Debbie felt a bit sick. She’d been letting herself be pulled closer and closer to Lou all night, and suddenly she’d been snapped back to reality: heaved away from Lou Miller and back to the Oceans.

“I’m sorry,” Rusty said, and he actually did sound apologetic. “I know you like her. Just, keep your eyes open, okay? Maybe she was lucky. It’s a game of luck, after all.”

“I will,” Debbie nodded. She thought of something else, too. She kept her voice soft: “Lou was the dealer on that hand. It’s going to rotate around—if she did pull some trick with the deck, she won’t be able to do it again for a while. When she’s dealer again, I’ll watch.” Debbie also knew that the best way to keep an eye on everything—on Lou, on everyone—was to sit at the table. She clenched her jaw.

“Okay. I’m in. I’ll play.”

Rusty nodded. “Good,” he squared his shoulders. “I’m going to get more food.” Debbie rolled her eyes as he marched away toward the cold cuts.

Debbie glanced across the room to Lou, who was still chatting in the far corner with Danny. Lou seemed to sense Debbie’s eyes on her and flashed her a brilliant smile, her eyes twinkling. It was the brightest smile Debbie had seen from Lou yet, and it made her ache. Debbie felt her heart start beating rigidly in her chest; and whether it was from pleasure or trepidation, she didn’t know.

 


End file.
